Police: Father Backed Son During Chase

August 24, 1993|By MICHAEL S.C. CLAFFEY Daily Press

It was James Leon Morris Sr. who fired three shots at a sheriff's deputy while his son, James Leon Morris Jr., led officers on a high-speed chase through North Carolina and Virginia in January, officials said.

Investigators have long suspected the elder Morris of joining his 19-year-old son in a series of vacation home burglaries, then firing the shots during the 88-mile chase from Currituck, N.C., to Hampton, where they eluded police.

Chesapeake police on Sunday charged Morris Sr. with attempted capital murder of Currituck sheriff's deputy Stacy Gabbard, according to Chesapeake Commonwealth's Attorney David L. Williams. But Williams was reluctant to discuss how Morris Sr. was linked to the shooting and the Chesapeake Police Department was unable to provide details of the case.

Morris, 43, is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in General District Court in Chesapeake this morning, Williams said. He was arrested last week in Hampton on a stalking charge, according to the Hampton Sheriff's Department. Both father and son are from Hampton.

The younger Morris has been in custody since April, after being captured in South Carolina, escaping from jail there, and being captured again in North Carolina.

The shooting happened on Route 168 in the Hickory area of Chesapeake, Gabbard said. At least three shots were fired at Gabbard's patrol car from someone leaning out the passenger side of the stolen pickup truck. One of the shots shattered Gabbard's windshield.

Gabbard said Monday night that a Chesapeake investigator called him last week to say police had enough evidence to charge Morris Sr.

Gabbard and another North Carolina law enforcement official said authorities there had suspected all along that Morris Sr. was the accomplice who was with Morris Jr. during a string of more than a dozen burglaries in Nags Head in the early hours of Jan. 22.

``We thought that the father was involved, but we never had enough information to prove it,'' the official said.

Morris Jr. pleaded guilty to several charges of breaking and entering in North Carolina last month and received a 20-year prison sentence, according to Joseph T. Lamb, his court-appointed attorney.

North Carolina authorities had said they hoped to charge the accomplice, when and if he is found. Officials handling the case could not be reached for comment Monday.

Although Gabbard said he did not get a good look at the gunman, he expects to testify at the trial.

The elder Morris has a police record dating to 1969, including burglary convictions in Hampton and Newport News.

Gabbard expressed relief about the second arrest in the case and also praised the detective work of police in Chesapeake and Hampton.

``They did a great job, they didn't let it lay,'' he said. ``It's nagged at me the whole time, knowing that the second party was out there. In my opinion, anyone who would do something like that needs to be off the street.''